Reply To: Body Checking in Youth Hockey

[David Mitchell]

Dean your post made me chuckle. 😀 But, you made a very good point about everyone mastering THEIR role in player safety.

I think Tom is on to somthing. It sounds like it would be fairly easy to implement, and would be met with less resistance by nay sayers.

If anyone is interested, this link is to USAH's checking manual they put out a few years ago with some help from Bjorn Kinding. I think it is pretty good, and offers some specific skills and drills for coaches to use. Some of the more basic stuff seems a little silly, but we went through it with our players anyway, and looking back, I think the simple stuff did make a difference in on ice technique and overall contact confidence.
http://usahockey.com/uploadedFiles/USAHockey/Menu_Coaches/Menu_Coaching_Materials/Menu_Checking_materials/Checking%20Manual_FINAL.pdf

Dave